Years of Culture partners with QF for first TEDinArabic Summit

Doha: Qatar Museums’ Years of Culture initiative, an annual bilateral cultural exchange programme initiated by Qatar Museums Chairperson H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani in 2012, will collaborate with the TEDinArabic Summit in Doha, organised through a partnership between Qatar Foundation and TED, as part of its ongoing mission to nurture the bonds that were established during previous Years of Culture.

Years of Culture events seek to deepen understanding between Qatar and partner countries and sustain long-term engagement through creative interactions like the initiative’s two Discovery Workshops taking place at the first-ever TEDinArabic Summit, which takes place from March 18-19 at Qatar National Convention Centre.

The workshops will be led by a renowned local illustrator, Jowhara, and will focus on watercolor journaling inspired by the recently published “Travel Book of Culture” by French artist Lapin. Combining the spirit of exploration and adventure profiled in the “Travel Book of Culture” with a community-focused workshop is just the type of rich experience that can be borne out of dialogue between different cultures.

Aisha Ghanem Al Attiya, Director of Cultural Diplomacy for Qatar Museums, emphasised the importance of this collaboration: “The Discovery Sessions will be a solid testament to our legacies of cross-cultural connections established during Qatar-France 2020 and Qatar-MENASA 2022 Years of Culture.” 

TEDinArabic is an initiative by TED and Qatar Foundation, providing a global platform for thinkers, researchers, artists, and change-makers across the Arab world to share ideas in the Arabic language. Its first summit will be held in Doha and will focus on the theme of “The Butterfly Effect,” emphasising the interconnectedness of the world and the impact of small occurrences on the larger system we operate within.

The Years of Culture workshops will be conducted in Arabic and will be open to the public with prior registration. The workshops are scheduled to take place on March 18.